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4 Smoothie Ingredients You Should Add to Achieve Maximal Weight Loss

Weight loss is something most of the western world obsesses over. There are many tools people use to lose weight and the effective ones usually have something to do with nutrition. It’s been said before, but worth repeating – you cannot outwork a bad diet. There are certain foods you can integrate to help you achieve your weight loss goal.

Smoothies are a great, and easy source of nutrition. However, it has been debatable whether they are truly good for you. The excessive amounts of sugar in store-bought smoothies are on par with any other sugary drink you can find in a convenient store. It doesn’t mean that smoothies are not good for you, but the right smoothie ingredients can make all the difference in your health and weight loss goals.

Here are 4 smoothie ingredients that will give you the most out of your daily blend:

Maca:

This is a Peruvian plant which has been cultivated for over 2000 years. Maca has been used in that time for a number of reasons, but one of its most significant benefits is hormone function. Having proper hormone function is critical for weight loss and keeping it healthy is essential.

Maca has also been shown to lower levels of inflammation. Chronic systemic inflammation is when we have low levels of inflammation in our body (that is often undetectable to the naked eye) but is very damaging to our system, including our brain. Excess body fat has been shown to cause more inflammation in the body, so if we have weight to lose it stands to reason we also have some inflammation to look out for.

One blood marker of inflammation is called IL-6 and supplementation with Maca has been shown to lower serum levels of IL-6 and is also associated with better health score. IL-6 can play a role in insulin-resistance which can make it much harder to lose weight, so by supplementing with maca, we can help our hormones and our whole body during the weight loss journey.

Matcha:

Is finely ground powder of green tea leaves and has more antioxidants than regular green tea because you are consuming the whole leaf. Matcha is fantastic as it has been shown to assist in weight loss, weight management, increase abdominal fat loss, and enhance changes in body composition from exercise.

Matcha can enhance fat oxidation during exercise which means you will burn more fat during those workouts! Matcha does contain some caffeine; however, unlike coffee, it can give us a boost of mental and physical awareness for a longer lasting time. That longer lasting boost can be used to increase your physical activity during the day.

Matcha can help increase you NEAT each day (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), and this means the energy we burn during the day from walking or taking the stairs helps us towards our weight loss goals faster.

Lion’s Mane:

This is a medicinal mushroom that is capable of inducing many great effects on the human body, from improvement in cognitive function to strengthening the immune system. Lion’s mane induces neurogenesis which is the growth and development of nervous system tissues including neurons in the brain. By adding a bit of lion’s mane in a smoothie, we make it easier for our mind to adapt to a healthier lifestyle as new neurons and connections will form, stopping you from falling back into old patterns.

Chlorella

Is a type of green algae that is becoming a popular health food supplement and it’s worth the hype! Chlorella has been shown to lower damaging cholesterol (small dense LDL), pull heavy metals out of the body and can help with weight loss in humans.

The thing with chlorella, however, is that it doesn’t taste the greatest. Small amounts (¼ to ½ tsp) is sufficient enough without affecting the flavor of the smoothie. That being said, the benefits far outweigh the taste.

If you have ever been a smoker, then chlorella is an excellent idea to help pull out some of those heavy metals.

Smoothie Recipe Ingredient

½ cup Blueberries

½ cup Raspberries

¼ cup coconut milk

1 cup filtered water

1 Scoop protein powder (I currently use either a pumpkin or a beef protein)

½ tablespoon almond butter

1 teaspoon Maca

½ teaspoon Matcha

¼ teaspoon Lion’s Mane

¼ teaspoon Chlorella

This smoothie is easy to make and pretty darn tasty! If you need more sweetness, add 1-2 drops of liquid stevia.

Calories 369 | Protein 27g | Net Carbs 24g | Fat 18g

Summary

You can still enjoy a smoothie without taking in excess sugar or calories. The right smoothie ingredients can make all the difference in your health and weight loss goals.

This fantastic article was written by The Healthy Happy Coach, Joshua Graham (Fitness Expert and Nutritionist). Connect with him on Facebook at The Healthy Happy Coach.